Electric socket construction



July 21, 1931. P. v. HOECHER 1,815,509

ELECTRIC SOCKET CONSTRUCTION Filed April 15, 1929 Patented July 21, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PAUL V. HOECHER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, 'ASSIGZNOR F ONE-HALF TO JAMES C. OLIVER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS ELECTRIC SOCKET CONSTRUCTION Application filed April 15,

The present invention relates to improvements in electric sockets and has for its principal object to rovide a socket unit in the form of'a strip 0 molding that is adapted to be secured on a wall, said unit being of such construction as to permit one or more electric plug cap units to be detachably mounted thereon for supplying current to the member or members with which the cap units are associated.

One of the important objects of the present invention is to provide an electric socket construction which will afford a quick detachable connection for the male unit of the electric 1 connection, and this in a positive and efficient manner.

A still further object is to provide a structure of the above-mentioned character that may be incorporated in an ornamental molding strip that is secured to a wall or the like.

Another object is to provide an electric socket construction of the above-mentioned character that includes the provision of a pair of spaced bus-bars arranged within an insulating base, each bus-bar including an elongated strip of metal that .isbent back upon itself to form coacting spring jaws between which the respective prongs or contacts of the male unit or cap are adapted to be dis- 3 3o posed when an electrical connection is desired. Another important object is to provide an electric socket construction of the abovementioned character which is simple, inexpensi 6, Strong and durable and further well adap ed forthe purposes for which it is designed.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become a parent from the follow- 40 ing description w en taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the accompanying drawings wherein like reference'characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the same;

Figure 1 is a view partl in elevation and partly in section of the a 'acent walls of a room showing my improved electrical socket construct1on secured on the respective walls, one of the socketstructuresbeing shown in elevation," and the other in section and also il- 1929. Serial No. 355,391.

lustrating the manner in which the cap unit is attached to one of the sockets.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken approximately on the line 22 of Figure 1; an

Figure 3 is a similar section taken substantially on the line 33 ofFigure l.

' In the drawings wherein for the purpose of .illustration is shown the preferred embodiment of 'my' invention, the numeral 1 designates generally the molding strip with WlllCh my improved electric socket is asso-' ciated. This molding includes an insulating base 2 having a metallic covering 3 therefor and upon referring to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, it will be observed that the front face of the insulating-base 2 is un-, covered. Any appropriate fastening means such as is indicated at 4 extends through suitable openings formed centrally in the insulating base 2 and through the rear side of the ornamental covering 3 for securing the molding strip to the wall A or other support. If desired, the edge portion of the insulating base may be shaped to provide any desirable ornamental design and obviously the metallic covering 3 will be bent to conform to the shape of the insulating base.

Upper and lower longitudinally extending slots 5 and 6 respectively are formed in the front face of the insulating base 2, the inner ends of the slots terminatin adjacent the rear wall of the insulating base and these slots extend for the full length of the insulating base. Upon referring to Figure 1 it will be observed that the ornamental covering 3 extends beyond one end of the insulatin base in order'to accommodate the fitting that extends through'an opening formed in the rear wall of the projecting end portion of the covering 3 in order to accommodate the lead in wires 8 that $11 ply the current to the bus-bars arranged within the respective grooves or slots 6 and the usual tubular covering for these lead in wires is shown at 9 in Figure 3. The insulating base 2 is further formed with the longitudinally extended rectangular sha ed slots or channels 10 and ll res ectively t at the upper and lower 3 ots 0 tically disposed slots also extend for the full length of the insulating base.

Arranged within the inner end portions of the upper and lowerilongitudinally extending horizontally disposed slots 5 and 6 are the bus-bars 12 and 13 respectively. Each of these bus-bars is of substantially U-shaped formation in end elevation, and the free ends of the arms are so bent as to provide normally contacting jaws 14 and 15 with the free ends of the jaws disposed outwardly in opposite directions for disposition within the respective vertical slots.

These metallic bus-bars are insertible within the respective horizontally disposed slots formed in the insulating base 2 from the ends of said insulating base and are frictionally held in position. The free ends of the lead in wires 8 are soldered to the end portions of the respective bus-bars as suggested in Figure 1.

The slots 5 and 6 are spaced a suitable distance apart to accommodate the usual projecting contacts 16 and 17 carried by the insulating cap 18 that forms the other part of the electrical connection and the conductor wires 19 that are associated with the embedded ends of the contacts 16 and 17 are' adapted to be connected with any suitable member to which current is supplied when the cap unit is engaged with the socket carried by the molding strip and such member may be a lamp, curling iron, cooking utensil, electric refrigerator and the like.

The contacts 16 and 17 are insertible in a quick detachable manner in the slots 5 and 6 respectively so that the free ends of the contacts will forcibly enter between the coacting jaws 14 and 15 of the respective bus-bars and when the contacts are inserted between the coacting jaws, the free ends thereof will move outwardly in the respective vertical channels or slots 10 and 11 in the manner as suggested more clearly in Figure 2. These jaws will cooperate with the contacts to maintain the cap unit inengagement with the socket and the inner face of the cap will abut against the covered front face of the insulating base ofthe moldin strip.

The provision of an e ectric socket of this character will permit one or-more ca units to be detachably engaged therewit and by forming the socket in the manner as shown and described, electric connection may be obtained without the loss of much time or labor and furthermore the opposed jaws of each bus-bar will prevent the accidental disengagement of the cap unit from the socket.

A structure of this character may be incorporated in an ornamental molding-strip and will not detract from the appearance of the room where the molding strip is secured to the wall or support. Further, an

electric socket of this construction may be assembled at a very low cost and the parts are so aranged as to permit the same to be readily accessible whenever necessary.

While I have shown the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that minor changes in the size, shape and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the'invention or the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a structure of the class described, an insulating base formed with spaced elongated slots, bus-bars arranged within the respective slots to provide an electric socket for receiving the contacts of a conventional cap, and lead in wires connected to the respective bus-bars, said bus-bars comprising a substantially U-shaped metallic member having the crown portion thereof disposed against the inner end of the respective slots, the free end portions of the arms of said U- shaped member being disposed normally in contacting relation to form opposed jaws between which the respective contacts of the 'cap unit is forcibly disposed, the free ends of the jaws being directed outwardly in opposite directions, the insulatin base being formed with additional slots t at intersect the aforementioned slots to accommodate the projecting ends of. the arms of the respective U-shaped member.

2. In combination, a molding strip including an insulating base adapted to be secured to a support, said insulating base being formed with longitudinally extending spaced slots that extend inwardly from the front face thereof, substantially U-shaped bus-bars arranged within the respective slots, lead in wires connected to the respective U-shaped bus-bars, the free end portions of the arms of each U-shaped bus-bars being disposed in normally contacting relation to pro- .vide opposed jaws as and for the purpose de- 

